Sushi-go-round: 回転寿司

寿司: sushi

回転: rotator belt, conveyor belt

回転寿司 Kaiten sushi is conveyer belt (rotator) sushi. By no means is this usually high quality, it is sushi for the masses! Entertaining, low-stress, easy for when you do not remember all the Japanese names for things.

In Okinawa, some of these places will be hundred yen sushi plates. 100円 sushi is definitely good for the wallet, but usually not great quality or variety. Hamazushi, Sushiro and Kura Sushi are examples of 100円 sushi chains in Okinawa. I like Kura Sushi because they have little game you play for every 5 plates is a chance to win a gachapon (capsule toy). Sushiro has a good seasonal menu, and the quality is a little better than the other 100円 chains.

Some places are better quality sushi-go-round, and tend to have some better variety. Enraku and Yazaemon are probably the better ones I have been to. Again, it is kaiten sushi so it is not going to be super high quality like you would get from a real sushi chef or anything. But that’s okay– sometimes you just want some cheap, filling sushi, not some fancy “Jiro-dreams-of-sushi” experience. Any time you are in Japan, be sure to visit a kaiten sushi joint to watch as the many plates rotate around and are devoured by the patrons.

Most places have a delivery system where you have a touchscreen at your table; if you do not see what you want on the conveyor belt, simply use the touchscreen to place an order. Some places have little trains or boats on the track that will “deliver” it to your eating station. At your eating station, besides a touchscreen, there is usually green tea, small plates, hashi, shoyu, pickled ginger, wasabi, wet naps, etc. Don’t be intimidated and just watch what other patrons do if it is your first time… it is easy once you get the hang of it. When you are finished, there will be a call button on your touchscreen or at your station, the server will come over and tally up your plates for the bill.

gachapon sushi charm

sushi-go-round

station

touchscreen ordering in 4 languages

here it comes

Sushi-go-round chains in Okinawa: (just copy&paste into GoogleMaps to find the closest to you!)